Machine for separating stripping zinc or other metal



March 10, 1964 Filed Aug.

SVIADOSHCH ETAL TING STRIPPING ZINC OR OTHER METAL ALUMINUM OR SIMILAR CATHODES 5 Sheets-Sheet l March 10, 1964 MACHIN Filed Aug. 51, 1962 Y. N. SVIADOSHC E FOR SEPARATING STRIPPIN SHEETS FROM ALUMINUM OR S H T 3,124,521 G ZINC OR OTHER METAL IMILAR CATHODES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MACHINE FOR sEbARA SVIADOSHCH ETAL 3,124,521 TING STRIPPING ZINC OR OTHER METAL SHEETS FROM ALUMINUM OR SIMILAR CATHODES Filed Aug. 51, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 10, 1964 Y. N. SVIADOSHCH ETAL 3,124,521

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING STRIPPING ZINC OR OTHER METAL SHEETS FROM ALUMINUM OR SIMILAR CATHODES Filed Aug. 51, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 10, 1964 Y. N. SVIADOSHCH ETAL 3,124,521

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING STRIPPING ZINC OR OTHER METAL SHEETS FROM ALUMINUM 0R SIMILAR CATHODES Filed Aug. 31, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 'rnea Aug. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 222,990 4 Claims. or. 204194) This invention refers to machines for stripping zinc sheets or other metal sheets from aluminum or similar cathodes.

In this production, the process of stripping of ready sheets from the cathodes is a quite laborious operation entailing the deterioration of metal sheets and cathodes, the renewal of which involves considerable expenses, increasing the cost of production.

The known means facilitating the subsequent mechanical operation of stripping the metal sheets from the cathodes, including the system of parallel rolls which carry out a bilateral deflection of the entire surface of the metal covered cathode, does not ensure the simultaneous execution of the sheet stripping operation proper and subjects the cathodes to undesirable bending in various directions, changing their surface roughness. The application of mechanical impacts for the exfoliation of the top edge of the sheet from the cathode also fails to ensure a complex fulfilment of all parts of the operation of stripping the metal sheet from the cathode in the most economical way. The use of mechanical gripping devices of various designs for stripping sheets from cathodes involves the consumption of much labour for inserting and gripping the sheet edges, entailing the danger of breaking the sheets.

The given invention successfully solves the problem and permits to realize it practically, overcoming all the shortcomings known in practice.

The aim pursued by this invention is to build a machine ensuring perfect stripping of zinc sheets from cathodes without causing them any damage.

The purpose of this invention is also to ensure a minimum consumption of labour for the transportation of cathodes with sheets to the machine, their transportation in the machine as well as conveying the cathodes and stripped sheets "from the machine. 7

Another purpose of this invention is to ensure besides the possibility of automation of the sheet stripping operation proper, but also of the associated with it transportation, loading and unloading operations.

With these purposes in mind, the machine is based on a combination of parts allowing it to be regarded as components of one Whole automatic line.

It is obvious, that in strictly realizing the invention described here there may be elfected certain changes within the scope of the patent paragraphs, without any deviation from the idea of the invention. Other advantages of this invention will be shown in the description with references to the enclosed drawings.

FIG. 1 represents the front view of the machine for stripping of zinc or other metal sheets from aluminum and similar cathodes.

FIG. 2 offers a side view of the machine.

FIG. 3 gives the plan view of the machine.

FIG. 4 shows the kinematic diagram of the machine for stripping zinc and other metal sheets from aluminum and similar cathodes.

3,124,521 Patented Mar. 10, 1964 FIG. 5 represents the longitudinal section along two U-shaped tubular frames, carrying the working members of the machinethe vacuum-suckers. This figure also shows the lateral section of both slide blocks, which move the cathodes to the working members of the machine and from there to the device removing the cathodes freed from the zinc or other metal sheets.

The machine is mounted -on frame of welded construction. The right hand part of the frame is used for mounting the devices for delivering from the electrolytic baths of aluminum or similar cathodes, having on both sides layers of zinc or other metal, which should be stripped from the cathodes in the form of sheets. The middle part of the frame is designed for mounting the machine mechanisms, performing the stripping of sheets from the cathodes and which constitute the main feature of the machine design. The upper middle part of the frame carries the percussion device for preliminary destruction of the upper joints of sheets to the cathode while the bottom middle part carries a device for transferring the stripped Zinc sheets from the cathodes to the transportation trucks such as electric cars, etc.

The left hand part of the frame is used for mounting on it the devices for removing from the machine the cathodes freed of the metal sheets and for delivering them to the electrolytic baths for repeated use. On top, over all the three parts of the machine frame, there is a transporting device arranged for carrying the cathodes through the machine.

The principal feature of the invention is, that the-mechanisms arranged in the central part of the frame, include as their working members the vacuum-suckers connected with the separating mechanism performing sumultaneously the separation from top to bottom, of the two sheets on both sides of the cathodes, after preliminary destruction of the joints of the sheet top edges with the cathode with impacts dealt by these mechanical devices to the joints.

On closer examination of the machine design, it should be noted that the device arranged on the top along all the three parts of the frame, and conveying the cathode through the machine, represents an endless roller chain 2, both branches of which are arranged in a common vertical plane and run along the machine.

Chain 2 is supported by two end sprockets 3, 4, of which the left one 3 is the driving one and is rigidly fitted on the same shaft 5 with the pinion 6 provided with a free-motion bush and meshed with the teeth of rod 7 of the pneumatic servomotor with the cylinder 8. The stroke of this servomotor rod has a quite definite value, necessary for feeding by means of chain 2 of one cathode to the working members, situated in the central part of the frame and accomplishing the stripping of sheets from the cathode within a certain period of time, 5-7 sec., and then transferring the cathodes to the device which takes them away from the machine.

The periodic movement of chain 2 is ensured by the pneumatic servomotor with cylinder 8.

To control the operation of the servomotor there is a slide valve arranged in box 9, which is connected with the cylinder 8 through tubes 10 and 11. Chain 2 carries side pins 12, having turning motion and spring loaded on hinges. These are shown on FIGS. 1 and 2 and their purpose is to grip and move on first one and then the other slide blocks 13, carrying the cathodes. At the end of its travel theslide block, for instance, the tubular one comes up to the adjustable stationary stop not shown on the drawing and comes to a standstill, then pin 12 turns to the chain link and together with it moves on further, holding the edge of the slide block for some time by its guide 14, the ends of which are rigidly secured on frame 1. When pin 12 passes by the edge of the slide block, the latter returns to its initial position with the help of the spring and other similar devices not shown on the drawings, and stands at rest for a short time until the next chain pin approaches the edge of the slide block. Each one of the slide blocks is provided with two brackets at the ends, which support the cathode by its beads.

The first of the slide blocks travels from the device for delivering on its brackets cathode to the working member of the machine, performing stripping of zinc sheets from both sides of the cathode, and conveying the cathodes back. The second slide block is moved by pin 12 of chain 2 from the working members of the machine, performing the stripping of zinc sheets to the device for removing from the brackets of the second slide the cathodes from which the zinc sheets have been stripped and have to be sent back to the electrolytic bath shop. The slides meet in the central part of the frame, after which the cathode with zinc sheets is pushed over by force of the approaching vacuum-sucking devices from the brackets of the first slide to those of the second one with the aid of the respective device. The cathodes with zinc sheets to be stripped are fed to the first slide brackets.

Actually, the device used for feeding into the machine cathodes with zinc sheets represents, in one of its possible designs, as may be seen from its schematic diagram (FIG. 4), a loading conveyer with two endless chains 16 and 17. The latter are supported at the top by two sprockets 18 and at the bottom by four sprockets 19, of which two are mounted on the driving shaft 20 rotated by pinion 21, which is geared with the teeth of rod 22 of the pneumatic servomotor; the cylinder 23 of the servomotor is connected through tubes 24 and 25 to the slide valve box 26.

Both chains 16 and 17 are provided with grips not shown on the drawing, receiving the beads of the cathodes with zinc sheets loaded onto them in turn, and conveyed from the electrolytic shop.

Arranged in the central part of frame 1 are the machine parts and mechanisms designed for stripping the sheets from the cathodes, and also the striking devices performing the preliminary destruction of the top joints of both sheets with the cathodes.

The machine parts and mechanisms arranged in the central part of the frame constitute the principal feature of the machine producing its useful effect. The preferable forms of these parts and mechanisms are described with greater details below, except for the percussive devices used to destroy the top joints of both sheets with the cathodes, since, as has already been mentioned, the use of mechanical impacts for separation of the upper edges of sheets from cathodes was known before. In the machine described herein, the percussive devices consist, for instance, of two ordinary pneumatic perforators with horizontally arranged strikers 27, actuated by the pistons of cylinders 28, also horizontally mounted on frame 1.

For feeding compressed air into the perforator cylinders 28, there are two tubes 29 connected to pipe 11, which delivers compressed air to cylinder 8 during the working stroke of chain 2, carrying the cathodes with zinc sheets. The frequency of blows delivered by strikers 27 on the metal sheet is chosen experimentally and depends upon the sheet thickness and other parameters. As a result of striker action, the upper joints of both sheets with the cathodes are destroyed and the upper parts of the sheets, previously firmly uniting them with the cathodes, are destroyed and the zinc sheets are separated with relative case from the aluminum cathode with the aid of vacuum suckers 30, the working members of the machine.

As shown on the drawing, vacuum-suckers 31 are mounted in several, three, for example, horizontal rows on two 1r-shaped tubular frames 31 the bottom ends of which are welded to two horizontal tubes 32, their ends being pivotedand supported by glands 33; while two tubular arms 34 are connected through glands 35 with horizontal tubular journals 36, turning in bearings 37 which are mounted on the horizontal girders 38 of frame 1.

The journals 36 are closed on one side of frame 31, while on the other side of frame 31 they are connected with pipe 39, carrying the vacuum valve 40, which communicates the frames 31 and, consequently, vacuum suckers 30 with the vacuum-pump, which constitutes an integral part of the machine but does not appear on the drawings.

To control valve 40, should it become necessary, for instance, to make it function automatically. An electromagnet or some other device may be used, which on FIGS. 1 and 4 is denoted by the FIGURE 41. Each frame 31 is provided, in its upper part with an eye 42 (FIG. 5) for hinging it with tenon 43 of rod 44 (FIG. 3) of the pneumatic cylinders 45, mounted on support 46 of frame 1. Cylinders 45 communicate, via tubes 47 and 48 with the slide valve box 49. In order to adjust the approach of each frame 31 to the cathode K, situated in the vertical plane on the slide pins and brought into the spaces between suckers 30 of both frames 31, symmetrically moved apart by rods 44, each of the tenons 43 is made split and is provided with screw threading for the adjusting and lock nuts.

FIG. 5 shows that each sucker 30 comprises a branch pipe 50 with a disc 51 at the base, which is welded to the branch pipe and is provided with an external screw threading 52' to receive the profile union nut 53, attracting the sucker tip 54 to the inside bearing surface of the disc. The sucker tip is made of soft acid resistant rubber and has an elastic distance ring 55. With the help of nut 53 interacting with the tip annular boss 56, the tip is firmly pressed with its end face to the annular lugs 57 of disc 51.

Through a number of experiments made, we found that at a vacuum of 500600 mm. of Hg the sucker tightly pressed to the sheet of cathode zinc, allows the application of a tearing force of 0.60.7 kg. per 1 sq. cm. of sucker section. An experimentally used IOO-mm. dia. sucker gave a tearing force of 3035 kg. The provision of perforators with strikers 27 on the machine for percussive action on the sheets, ensures faultless operation of the vacuum-suckers.

The cycle of simultaneous stripping of zinc sheets from both sides of the cathode (including the time for set up) equals 5-7 sec. while the total time of stripping one cathode equals approximately 15 sec., it follows there from that the efficiency of one machine equals 240 cathodes per hour, i.e., 3-3.5 tons per hour, taking the weight of zinc on one cathode to be 15 kg.

It should be noted that successful operation of the vacuum-suckers 30 it is necessary to provide their symmetrical arrangement relative to the vertical plane in which the cathode is situated, and also by the synchronous movement of both tubular frames 31.

In FIGURES 2 and 4 may be seen that the device for transferring the zinc sheets stripped from the cathodes to the electric car or any other transportation facilities carrying away the packs of sheets, represents a sloping conveyor 58, arranged laterally to the tubular frame 31 and supported by two end shafts 59 and 60, the bottom one being the driving shaft, rotated by means of sprockets 61 and 62, chain 63 and worm reducing gear 64, actuated by an electric motor 65. When separated from vertical plane, the vacuum in tubular frames 31 discontinues with a certain time lag, owing to which the zinc sheets, dropping one after another from the vacuum-suckers, are piled on conveyer 53 without delay and are then carried away by the transportation trucks.

As already mentioned above, there is a device mounted in the left part of frame 1 for removing from the machine the cathodes freed of sheets. This device is similar in construction to that of feeding cathodes with zinc sheets.

into the machine. It also consists of a conveyer with two endless chains 66, supported at the top by two sprockets 67 and at the bottom by four sprockets 68, two of which are mounted on driving shaft 69. The latter is actuated by pinion 70 geared with the teeth of the pneumatic servomotor rod 71. Cylinder 72 of the servomotor is connected by means of tubes 73 and 74 with the tubes 24 and 25 running from slide valve box 26 to cylinder 23 of the servomotor for the arrangement of feeding cathodes into the machine. The latter operates synchronously with the arrangement for removing cathodes from the machine. The latter has a conveyer which dumps the cathodes freed from zinc sheets onto the transportation truck turning over the cathodes for repeated use in the electrolytic baths.

It should be noted that in designing the machine we succeeded in completely solving the problem of its automatic control through an electric circuit comprising a time relay, electric command devices (relays), solenoids for pneumatic slide and terminal switches.

All the components of this circuit are interconnected and act from one and the same initial impulse.

The electric circuit for automatic control of the machine is not given in the description of this invention, as it can be accomplished by ordinary devices and methods of electrical engineering.

It should be emphasized that the machine can be produced in several modifications without violating the essence of the invention. The vacuum-suckers may, for instance, be arranged on tubular frames not in horizontal rows, but checkered, or in some other arrangement.

Instead of the pneumatic drive for automatic actuation of servomotors, it is possible to employ a hydraulic drive or some other kind of a drive. In order to avoid mechanical damage of cathodes during their transportation, the use of clasping frames may be suggested to grip the cathodes at the top and hold them firm While they are transported.

We claim:

1. A machine for stripping electrolytically deposited zinc on a sheet cathode comprising a frame, a horizontally positioned endless conveyer supported by said frame, said endless conveyer having hanging means, motive means adapted to move said endless conveyer in intermittent fashion, delivery means for moving said zinc coated cathodes onto said hanging means whereby said cathodes are longitudinal with respect to said conveyer, percussive means positioned on said frame whereby to strike the upper surface of said cathodes, stripping means, said percussive means positioned between said delivery means and said stripping means, said stripping means positioned on said frame and along the path of said conveyer, said stripping means including two means pivoted along the bottom thereof and presenting confronting surfaces pivotable towards one another, said stripping means positioned whereby said cathodes are passed therebetween by said conveyer, suction means positioned on said confronting surfaces to strip said zinc from said cathodes during residency between said stripping means, conveyer means positioned below said stripping means to receive said stripped zinc, cathode removal means positioned proximate said conveyer after said stripping means to remove said cathodes.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein the conveyer is intermittently moved by a racket operating on a gear which drives a sprocket, said endless conveyer, being mounted to be driven by said gear.

3. The machine of claim 1 wherein the stripping means includes inverted U-shaped tubes having apertures at their confronting surfaces, said apertures being said suction means.

4. The machine of claim 3 wherein the hanging means are pins mounted on said conveyer and said conveyer is an endless chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 805,158 Sage Nov. 21, 1905 908,381 Bennett Dec. 29, 1908 2,141,218 Murray et al Dec. 27, 1938 2,363,442 Scott Nov. 21, 1944 2,566,467 Symmes Sept. 4, 1951 

1. A MACHINE FOR STRIPPING ELECTROLYTICALLY DEPOSITED ZINC ON A SHEET CATHODE COMPRISING A FRAME, A HORIZONTALLY POSITIONED ENDLESS CONVEYER SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME, SAID ENDLESS CONVEYER HAVING HANGING MEANS, MOTIVE MEANS ADAPTED TO MOVE SAID ENDLESS CONVEYER IN INTERMITTENT FASHION, DELIVERY MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ZINC COATED CATHODES ONTO SAID HANGING MEANS WHEREBY SAID CATHODES ARE LONGITUDINAL WITH RESPECT TO SAID CONVEYER, PERCUSSIVE MEANS POSITIONED ON SAID FRAME WHEREBY TO STRIKE THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID CATHODES, STRIPPING MEANS, SAID PERCUSSIVE MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID DELIVERY MEANS AND SAID STRIPPING MEANS, SAID STRIPPING MEANS POSITIONED ON SAID FRAME AND ALONG THE PATH OF SAID CONVEYER, SAID STRIPPING MEANS INCLUDING TWO MEANS PIVOTED ALONG THE BOTTOM THEREOF AND PRESENTING CONFRTONTING SURFACES PIVOTABLE TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER, SAID STRIPPING MEANS POSITIONED WHEREBY SAID CATHODES ARE PASSED THEREBETWEEN BY SAID CONVEYER, SUCTION MEANS POSITIONED ON SAID CONFRONTING SURFACES TO STRIP SAID ZINC FROM SAID CATHODES DURING RESIDENCY BETWEEN SAID STRIPPING MEANS, CONVEYER MEANS POSITIONED BELOW SAID STRIPPING MEANS TO RECEIVE SAID STRIPPED ZINC, CATHODE REMOVAL MEANS POSITIONED PROXIMATE SAID CONVEYER AFTER SAID STIPPING MEANS TO REMOVE SAID CATHODES. 